ed to strike my husband as
infinitely amusing, for he burst out laughing, and informed the
"gentleman" that he did not follow the profession of whipping women,
and must decline his offer. But I wanted to be back on free soil, out of
an atmosphere which killed all manhood, and furnished women-whippers as
a substitute for men.

CHAPTER XI.

REBELLION.--Age, 24.

During the late spring and early summer, my letters from home spoke
often of mother's failing health, and in July one came from her saying
her disease had been pronounced cancer, and bidding me come to her. The
same mail brought a letter from Dr. Joseph Gazzam, telling me she was
certainly on her death-bed, and adding: "Let nothing prevent your
coming to your mother at once."

I was hurt by this call. Was I such a monster that this old family
friend thought it necessary to urge me to go to my dying mother? Stunned
and stupified with grief, I packed my trunk.

My husband came in at noon, and I handed him the letters. He read them
and expressed surprise and sorrow, and I told him to hurry to the wharf
and see when the first boat started. He thought I should not go until I
heard again. It might not be so bad. Then, after reflecting, said, why
go at all, if there was no hope? Of what use could I be? If there was
hope, he would agree to my going, but as there was none, he must object.
In fact, he did not see how I could think of leaving him with those
goods on his hands. How could I be so ready to drop all and not think of
the consequences, for what could he do with that stock of dry goods. My
mother pretended to be a Christian, but would take me away from my duty.
I, too, read the Bible, but paid little heed to its teachings. He
brought that book and read all of Paul's directions to wives, but rested
his case on Ephesians, v, 22: "Wives submit yourselves unto your own
husbands as unto the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife even as
Christ is head of the church; therefore, as the church is subject unto
Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything."

While he continued his comments, I buried my head in pillows, saying,
"Lord what wilt thou have me to do?"

Milton epitomized Paul when he made Eve say to Adam, "Be God thy law,
thou mine;" but was that the mind and will of God? Had he transferred
his claim to the obedience of half the human family? Was every husband
God to his wife? Would wives appear in the general judgment at all, o